Literacy: It's a whole new world

Here are 10 things you can do to support literacy:

  1. Be a lifelong learner. The demands of our workplaces and our world are changing every day. Brush up on your skills.

  2. Encourage others to be lifelong learners. Support your friends, family members, and neighbors who are considering improving their skills whether it be reading and writing, getting a diploma or G.E.D. or learning to use computers.

  3. Read to your child. Studies show that parents are the most important teachers of their children. Children learn the importance of reading from those closest to them.

  4. Volunteer to tutor. Many literacy programs are small and depend on the involvement of local community members. They are glad to provide training to potential volunteers.

  5. Volunteer to support an education program in other ways. Many literacy programs do not have the funds to pay for support staff, and welcome volunteers to help answer phones and provide other office support.

  1. Support friends who want to participate in a literacy program. If someone you know wants to participate in a literacy program, offer to take care of their children while they attend class, or drive learners to and from programs.

  2. Donate equipment or other materials. If your work or home office is getting a new copier, fax machine, or computer, consider donating the old equipment to a literacy program in your community.

  3. Donate money. All literacy programs combined serve less than 10 percent of the people with literacy needs. More money allows more people to get the help they need.

  4. Start a literacy program in your office. Make sure your office provides training to employees, and that courses are presented as a positive opportunity to improve skills.

  5. Strengthen the links between literacy programs and other community groups. If you volunteer at another program in your community - such as a homeless shelter - make sure they are aware of literacy programs and how to refer potential learners to them.

Reprinted from National Institute for Literacy
800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006-2712
Phone: 202-632-1500
http://www.nifl.gov